PostNL Allowed to Scrap Half Its Letter-Boxes

THE HAGUE, 05/06/13 - PostNL is being given scope by Economic Affairs Minister Henk Kamp to become more profitable. The postal company is allowed to scrap about half its letterboxes.

The number of letterboxes in the Netherlands will be slashed from 19,000 to 8,700. PostNL is also closing 1,500 post offices, leaving just 1,000. Additionally, the number of postal collection days is being cut from six to five days per week.

The measures are intended to yield PostNL savings of about 27 million euros. It is also allowed to raise the price of a stamp, this year by 6 eurocents and next year by another 4 eurocents. This will yield the company an extra 45 million euros, according to the minister.

The supervisory body for the postal market, the Consumer and Market Authority (ACM) says that the return of PostNL with the planned measures will remain within 10 percent. This percentage was set in the past as the statutory maximum.